Preaching to the Choir…Why Christians should drink beer and have sex
photo by: Zeetz Jones
As I’ve told you in the past, I’ve been searching the internet daily to find another like-minded blog or web site out there. But to no avail, I have yet to find any other Christian bloggers that openly talk about their love of God and good beer. But as you can imagine, I have found plenty of blogs and articles that are anti-alcohol.
As I’ve read through these blogs/articles, I have to say that my blood pressure has risen a little. Now I’m not upset because they don’t like beer. I’m not even upset because they feel their conscience won’t let them drink. I’m getting upset for two reasons.
First, time and time again I read phrases that say something like, “Now there isn’t anything in scripture that says you can’t drink, but…” But…But…I’m sorry, but this is just annoying to me. This is like saying, “Now I know Jesus says to ______, but…” It just doesn’t jive. I even read a blog post by one guy that said that Jesus drank alcohol (which he did), but we shouldn’t. There’s a word that is used when you say that you can’t do something that Bible says you can. I’ll give you a hint…begins with a “legal” and ends with “you’re an idiot”.
We know scripture says that you can drink as long as you are of age, don’t have a conscience against it, and don’t get drunk (unless you do some freaky hermeneutical gymnastics to say something different). To say anything beyond that is to add to scripture.
This leads me to the second thing that just annoys the crap out of me…flawed logic. Since these people can’t use scripture to back up their prohibition, they have to come up with some other way to say you can’t drink alcohol. I wish they would just come out and say, “You shouldn’t drink alcohol because I personally think it is bad for you and society.”
I would be cool with that. If you are personally against drinking, I completely support your views. It’s when you start to impose those personal views on the world that I have a problem. I personally don’t like tomatoes, but I don’t judge those that do like tomatoes (I just vomit a little in my mouth when I see them eating them…but that’s my problem).
But unfortunately these blogs don’t stop there. They start to use some weird messed up logic to prove their personal preferences. It usually goes something like this, “If you drink, even if it is within the bounds of scripture, you are encouraging others to drink. If others drink they are going to get drunk and become alcoholics and then they will go to hell!” I even read one blog (I’m not telling you where these blogs are at, because I don’t want to give them any link love) that said he doesn’t drink, because if he did his kids would then become drug addicts.
Here is where that logic fails. Lets use something else in place of alcohol and see how this would pan out if we used the same logic. Lets use sex (sex and beer in one post…this is definitely getting found on google). So here is how that would work out. “If you have sex even if it is within the bounds of scriptural loving marriage, you are encouraging others to have sex. If others have sex they are going to do it without their spouses and become sex addicts and then they will go to hell!” I don’t know about you, but I’m not giving up relations with my wife anytime soon. It’s just flawed logic.
Here’s how I see it. God has called us to share His light with this world. Just in the same way we shame the world by living in loving sexually healthy relationships with our spouses, we shame the world by going to the local pub and enjoying a good brew without getting wasted. We confuse those around us. We make them wonder what is different about us. We show them how they fall short of the glory of God. I see God being more glorified by our proper handling of alcohol than by not using it at all.
As my pastor used to say growing up, I know I’m preaching to the choir on this one, but I just had to rant for a little while. I really don’t want this blog to be about bashing those who are against drinking, but I just had to get this off my chest. Thanks for listening.
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Comments
The Scriptures are very plain – wine, sex, food, and the multitude of other great things in life are created by God, and made for us to enjoy with gratitude (and within proper boundaries). As long as we love others by not causing them to stumble by our over-indulgence or inappropriate behavior, then we should be the most free and non-uptight people on the planet. I’ll life a cold one to that with you!
Steve Woodruffs last blog post..1
I just came across this. I agree with your point, but I think your tone could be a bit more charitable. Beware not to fall into the same trap of sharp rhetoric with those who bash drinking with strong words rather than skillful use of The Word.
A little concurrence from tradition for your sex argument:
On the second point, Martin Luther employs a reductio ad absurdum to counter the idea that abuse should be met with disuse: “[W]e must not … reject [or] condemn anything because it is abused … [W]ine and women bring many a man to misery and make a fool of him (Ecclus. 19:2; 31:30); so [we would need to] kill all the women and pour out all the wine.”[167] That’s from a wikipedia article on alcohol and Christianity.
lol…great post.
I love that…”begins with a “legal†and ends with “you’re an idiotâ€. Well said.
Brad Ruggles
http://www.bradruggles.com